Thread holder operated by loom vibration



Odi. 24, 1944. H A wHlflN 2,361,340

THREAD HOLDER OPERATED BY LOOM VIBRATION Filed March 14, 1944 Fuif FI. E

`7 3o O. 4o

INVENTOR HERBERT WHITIN ATTORN Ev Patented Oct. 24,1944

THREADI HOLD-ER OI'RATEDl BY .LOOM VIBRATION Herbert A. `Whitin, Worcester,v Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts v Application March 14, 1944, Serial No. 526,369

12` Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in thread holders for weft Lreplenishing looms more particularly vof the type employing thread engaging geared members which are actuated by a. vibrator motor and it is the general object of the invention to provide means b'y which the loom vibration can be utilized to better advantage for turning the geared members.

` In Payne Patent No. 1,842,731 there is set forth a thread holder having geared members mounted on a casing which contains avvibrationm'otor connected to the members. As the casing swings back and forth on its supporting arm dueto loom vibration a weight suspended for i'ree oscillation moves a feed pawl relatively to a ratchet Wheel connected to at least one 0f the geared members for the purpose of turning the latter. Such a thread holder depends for its operation upon the degree to which the casing will respond to loom vibration.

When the casing which holds the geared members and the ratchet wheel has vconsiderable weight it does not respond suiciently to loom vibration to operate the aforesaid weight. It is an important object of my present invention to provide means external tothe casing and so confeed pawl. The magazine and the upper part of the arm secured thereto vibrate in usual manner and actuation of the strip of sheet steel material is derived from this vibration.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide a thread holder unit comprising two joined arms one of which is resilient with one end carrying a feed pawl which is movable with respect to the other arm for the purpose of actuating a ratchet wheel mounted on said other arm.

It isa further object of my invention to provide means for varying the period of vibration of the resilient arm, as iby a dampener weight adjustable along the length of the arm.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanyingdrawing, wherein a con- Fig. 4 is a rear elevation looking in the direction of arrow 4, Fig. 2. l

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, I have shown aloom frame IIJ, a lay II and picking mechanism I2 for shuttle S. The latter moves back and forth across the lay and comes to rest periodically under a magazine M having reserve bobbins" B therein from which extend weft ends W. A rigid arm I3'is secured as at I4 to one of the tie rods I5 of the magazine and extends diagonally.

behind the magazine. A thread holder` designated generally at H is mounted on the lower end of arm I3 and is provided with front and back thread engaging geared members I6 and I'I, respectively, mounted on shafts I8 and I9, respectively. As shown in Fig, 3 the shaft I8 has a ratchet wheel 20 secured thereto, while the other shaft I9 vis mounted on an arm 2I pivoted at 22 with respect to the holder. A spring 23 is located between arm 2l and another arm 24 adjustable horizontally on a threaded rod 25 rotatable in the-upper part of the thread holder and having a thumb nut 26 4by means of which the arm 24 may be moved toward and from the arm 2l for the purpose of varying the force eX- erted by spring 23.

The matter thus far described is of common construction and may be set forth as in the aforesaid patent to Payne and also in my cci-pending application Serial No. 518,702,1iled January 18, 1944. I

In order that the ratchet wheel 20 may be actuated I provide an auxiliary arm 30 made preferably of resilient material such as sheet steel and secure the upper end thereof to arm I3 as at 3|. The lower end of the auxiliary arm 30, spaced from and movable relatively to arm I3, has extending therethrough a rod 32 adjustable transversely and held in adjusted position by lock nuts 33. A resilient pawl 34 is held as at 35 to the rod 32 and extends through a slot 36 formed in wall 3l of the holder and engages the ratchet wheel.

In order that the period of vibration of arm 3D maybe regulated I use a ,dampener 40 held adjustably along the length of the auxiliary arm by means of a set screw 4I.` By changing the distance between the dampener and the attaching means 3| I am able to alter the rate of vibration of the auxiliary arm and adapt the feed of the ratchet wheel to changing conditions.

During loom operation there is sufficient vibration of the magazine M to cause movement ofY the upper part of arm i3 and also of the attaching means' 3l. This vibration is communicated to the auxiliary arm 3|) and the lower .or free end of the latter therefore swings back and forth in a direction toward and from the casing H. When the pawl moves inwardly or to the right as viewed in Fig. 3 it has a feeding stroke with respect to the ratchet wheely 20, and when the pawl moves to the left it has an idle stroke in preparation for the ensuing working stroke. There may be ismounted, said casing remaining in substantially xed position during loom operation, an auxiliary arm on the loom supported arm vibrating during loom operation, and a pawl on thel replenishing loom, a ratchet wheel within the some slight vibration of the holder H but this will be insuicient of itself to cause appreciable movement of the ratchet wheel toward and from arm 30. y ,l

If the pawl is feeding too rapidly the weighted dampener 40 may be moved outwardly or-toward the pawl end of the auxiliary arm, and in converse manner if the pawl is not feeding fast enough the dampener weight can then be moved upwardly toward the attachment 3 l.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple means for operating the ratchet of a geared thread holder by means of an auxiliary resilient arm vibrating independently of the `holding H. The latter may therefore be made with considerable weight such as will hold it substantially stationary, during loom operation, and

.vibration 'of resilient arm 30 can be relied upon to operate'the pawl and ratchet. It will furthermore be seen that the dampener 40 provides means for varying the feed of the ratchet wheel 2i! by the pawl 34.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modications may be made therein by those skilled` in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit `and scope of the invention'and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In athread holder having geared members for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom,

loom operation, an auxiliary arm on the support n arm vibrating relatively to said carrier during loom operation, and a drive pawl for the ratchet wheel mounted on and moving with the auxiliary arm when the latter vibrates.

'2. In'a thread holder having geared members for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom, a support arm connected at one end to the loom, a ratchet wheel connected toone of said geared members, a carrier for the ratchet wheel and geared members mounted on said arm' and remaining in a substantially fixed position during loom operation, a resilient arm mounted on the support arm and vibrating relatively to the carrier during loom operation, and a pawl on the resilient arm moving with the resilient arm and driving the ratchet Wheell during loom operation.

3. In a thread/holder having a casingsupporting geared membersfor the weft ends of 'a weft replenishing loom, a ratchet wheel within-the casing operatively connected to one of said members, a loom supported arm on which the casing casing 4operatively connected to one of said meinbers,` a loom supported arm on which the casingis mounted, saidcasing remaining in substantially fixed position during loom operation, a resilient Aelement mounted on s aid arm and having a free end which vibrates relatively to said casing during loom operation, and a pawl carried by said free end of said element and projecting into said casing into driving` relation with said ratchet wheel to turn the latter when said member vibrates dueto loom operation.

5. In a threadholder having geared members `for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom, two joined elements deriving support from the loom, a casing mounted on one of said elements and supporting said` geared members, a ratchet wheel operatively connected to one of said geared members and supported by said casing, and a pawl on the other element projecting into said casing and engaging said` ratchet Wheel, said otherelement vibrating relatively to said casing during loom operation and causing said pawl to rotate said ratchet wheel.

6. A thread holder unit for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom, said unit ,comprising a rigid arm haying provision for attachment to the loom, weft end engaging geared members, a ratchet wheel operatively connected to one of said geared members, said members and wheel deriving support from said rigid arm, a resilient element mounted on said rigid arm and having a free end movable relatively. to said ratchet wheel, and a pawl on said element operatively related to said ratchet wheel.

7. A thread holder unit for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom, said unit comprising a rigid arm having provision for attachment to the loom, a casing secured to said arm, geared weft end engaging members rotatable on said casing, ,a ratchet wheel operatively connected to one of said geared members and supported by said casing, a resilient element supported by said arm and having a part thereof movable relatively to the casing, and a pawl on said-part of said element extending into the casing and having driving relation with said ratchet Wheel.

8. A thread holder unit for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom, said untcomprising two joined elements one of which is rigid and has provision for attachment to the loom and the other element of which Vis resilient and has a part movable relatively to the rigid element, weft end engaging geared members rotatable on said rigid element, a ratchet wheel rotatable onsaid rigid element `and operatively connected to one of said geared members, and a pawl on said part of the resilient; element engaging said ratchet wheel.

9. In a threaded holder having geared members for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom, a support arm connected at one end to the loom, a ratchet wheel connected to one of said geared members, a carrier for the ratchet wheel and geared members mounted on said arm and remaining in a substantially fixed position during loom operation, a resilient arm mounted on the support arm and vibrating relatively to the carrier during loom operation, a paWl on the resilient arm moving with the resilient arm and driving the ratchet Wheel during loom operation, and a Weighted member held in adjusted position along said resilientl arm to determine the period of vibration thereof.

10. In a thread holder having a casing supporting geared members for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom, a ratchet Wheel within the casing operatively connected to one of said members, a loom supported arm on Which the casing is mounted, said casing remaining in subarm and one end of said auxiliary arm, the latter vibrating during loom operation, a pavvl on the auxiliary arm projecting from the latter into the casing and operatively related to said ratchet Wheel to turn the latter when the auxiliary arm vibrates,` and a dampener on said auxiliary arm movable to different distances from said connectn ing means to vary the period of vibration of said auxiliary arm.

11. A thread holder unit for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom, said unit comprising a rigid arm having provisionfor attachment to the loom, weft end engaging geared members, a ratchet wheel operatively connected to one of said geared members, said members and wheel deriving support from said rigid arm, a resilient element mounted on said rigid arm and having a free end movable relatively to said ratchet wheel, a pavvl on said element operatively related to said ratchet Wheel, and a dampener movable to different positions on said resilient element to vary the period of vibration thereof.

12. A thread holder unit for the weft ends of a weft replenishing loom,.said unit comprising two joined elements one of which is rigid and has provision for attachment to the loom and the other element of Which is resilient and has a part movable relatively to the rigid element, weft end engaging geared members rotatable on said rigid element, a ratchet Wheel rotatable on said rigid element and operatively connected to one of said geared members, a pavvl on said part of the resilient element engaging said ratchet wheel, and a dampener on said resilient element movable to different distances from the point of joining of said elements to vary the period of vibration of said resilient element.

HERBERT A. WHITIN. 

